The present invention relates to a supply of labels for being attached, in particular by clips, to sausage-shaped products, like sausages, according to claim 1.
In practice, it is known that, for example in the production of sausage-shaped products, like sausages, filling material is fed by a filling machine through a filling tube of a clipping machine into a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing which is stored on the filling tube and which is closed at its front end, i.e. the end facing in the feeding direction of the filling material by a closure means, like a closure clip. The tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing is pulled-off from the filling tube by the feeding pressure while being filled. After a predetermined volume of filling material has been filled into said tubular packaging casing, a displacer arrangement with a first and a second displacer unit which can each be formed by a pair of reversibly moveable displacement elements, a plait-like portion of the tubular packaging casing is formed. The clipping machine then places and closes at least one closure clip at the plait-like portion forming the rear end of the sausage shaped product, i.e. the end pointing against the feeding direction by respective closing tools which are reversibly movable towards the plait-like portion. If the sausage product is later to be hung up for example for the purposes of smoking or storing, a suspension element, like a suspension loop, is fed thereto in such a way that the closure clip engages said suspension element and the suspension element is secured to the sausage-shaped product.
Conventionally, information regarding the kind of product or the manufacturer are pre-printed on the packaging casing which is then filled with the respective sausage meat. In order to provide additional information to the sausage-shaped product, like the production date or the best before date, an additional label may be attached to the sausage-shaped product, which is secured to the sausage-shaped product together with one of the closure clips. With the known techniques, the label is fed separately from the suspension element to the clipping machine to be fixed to the sausage-shaped product by that closure clip closing the front end of said product in order to prevent the label from affecting the feeding and/or fixation of the suspension element.
From DE utility model 94 15 379, a clipping machine is known, which includes a feeder for stepwise feeding an endless chain of tags or labels into the closing area of the clipping machine. The endless chain of labels is wound up to a role wherein the longitudinal extension for a single label is parallel to the feeding direction of the endless chain of labels wound up. For attaching a single label to a sausage-shaped product, the endless chain of labels is fed stepwise by the feeder wherein the front-most label being still a part of the endless chain of labels is guided in an angle of 45° referred to the feeding direction of the endless chain of labels. Short before attaching a single label to a sausage-shaped product a cutting device separates this front-most label from the endless chain of labels. A control unit is provided for initiating the stepwise feeding of the chain of tags, and for cutting-off the tag to be attached from the chain of tags.
DE laid open document 199 34 444 discloses a suspension loop for sausage-shaped products, like sausages. A single suspension loop is formed by a flat strip which is provided with openings at its ends. For being attached to the sausage-shaped product, the strip is folded such that the openings at the ends of the strip are arranged congruent. The closure clip which closes the end of the just produced sausage-shaped product engages both openings of the strip and attaches the loop-shaped strip to the end of the sausage-shaped product. On said strip, information regarding the sausage-shaped product or the producer may be printed. The strip is made of a material, like a suitable plastic, which is sufficiently strong for carrying the sausage-shaped product, and for being treated together with the sausage-shaped product, like smoking or cooking of a sausage.
For attaching a label or tag to the sausage-shaped product, an apparatus, namely a label or tag feeder, is necessary, which needs space, in particular, in the vicinity to the closing region of the clipping machine, for feeding the label thereto, and which has to be incorporated into the control unit of the clipping machine. Moreover, as disclosed in DE utility model 94 15 379, a cutting device is necessary for separating a single label from the endless chain of label. Furthermore, additional sensor and control elements are necessary for controlling the feeding interval and adjusting the feeding interval to the closing operation as well as for controlling the cutting device. Furthermore, in the case that a label is used for forming a loop for suspending a sausage-shaped product, the material of said label needs to be sufficiently strong. On the other hand, the handling of a sausage-shaped product hanging on said label loop, is much more difficult than a suspension loop formed by a string, e.g. when transported along a catching device for said suspension loop, or when being hung up on a smoking rod or the like.